If you are a landlord wanting to save time when you are renewing your tenancy agreements, Legislate's assured shorthold tenancy agreement allows you to manage renewals automatically.
An assured shorthold tenancy agreement (also known as an AST) allows a landlord to let a property to a tenant. The term of an assured shorthold tenancy agreement is usually 6 or 12 months and will usually convert to a rolling periodic tenancy at the end of the initial term.
A rolling tenancy is a tenancy which automatically renews periodically on a rolling basis until either the tenant or the landlord serves notice. The renewal period will depend on the payment frequency of the rent. For example, a tenancy where rent is paid monthly will renew on a monthly basis. A tenancy where rent is paid every 6 or 12 months will renew for 6 or 12 months respectively.
A break clause gives the option to the landlord, the tenant or both parties to end the tenancy agreement sooner than the end date if the conditions of the break clause are met.
A rolling tenancy is common in teancy agreements as it can give confidence and certainty to both the landlord and tenant after the initial term that the property can be occupied and rent will be paid. However, if the landlrd wants to recuperate the property at the end of the initial term, they should make sure that the tenancy agreement does not automatically convert to a rolling periodic tenancy and serve a notice before the end of the fixed term to recuperate it. This is often the case for private landlords who let out properties to student tenants for 12 month fixed terms at a time.
Legislate's assured shorthold tenancy offers the option to include a break clause during the initial term.